Unscientific Bonds
by Darkrealmist v.2
Summary: A short side story to my fic "The Place Where Light Reaches". Hikawa Tohru reluctantly takes part in a Gabgom-funded photoshoot celebrating his husband's scientific achievements. [Animeverse. Established Netto x Tohru]


Unscientific Bonds

Author's Note: Set prior to the events of "The Place Where Light Reaches", in the future timeline where Netto and Tohru are married and with child. Pre-existing knowledge of details beyond the first chapter is not required to understand this fic, though appreciated. Enjoy the story and R&R.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Rockman EXE series.

Pairings: Established Netto x Tohru. Referenced Enzan x Yaito.

Summary:

A short side story to my fic "The Place Where Light Reaches". Hikawa Tohru reluctantly takes part in a Gabgom-funded photoshoot celebrating his husband's scientific achievements.

* * *

"This is embarrassing, Netto!" Tohru complained under the other's weight.

He was trying his best to fulfill the photographer's requests, but his appeals kept getting odder and more personal.

"Fix your hair?"

Fine.

"Pop your collar?"

Fine.

"Lose the buttons?"

He began to suspect the shutterbug's motives.

For his groundbreaking work creating a stable, controlled portal to the parallel universe of Beyondard, Hikawa Tohru's husband was set to receive a distinguished international science award, as well as a publicity package that included appearing on the front cover of _Scientific Ameropan_.

Yaito's company, Gamgom, continuously wired money into the magazine to polish the upcoming issue, a service both Netto and Tohru recognized as truthfully stemming from pettiness. It was a chance to piggyback off Netto's accolades and take a shot at her bitter rival, IPC. To show that Gabgom outpaced IPC in science and technology, despite their areas of specialization diverging and having little to do with Netto's object of study.

Variations on the headline "Ayanokouji Yaito and Ijuuin Enzan, On the Ropes Again!" littered newsstands and online media outlets. Office pools and bulletin boards ran dedicated polls tallying yays and nays concerning their rocky relationship.

Will they, won't they? You decide!

Times like these Tohru thanked his lucky stars he and Netto were still going strong.

"Lighten up! Have fun with it!" Netto laughed, knotting his bandana above his elbow as instructed.

"You're the one winning the prize! I am literally a prop in your glamour shot!"

"Mm-mm. Don't sell yourself short." Netto embraced him as the flash went off. "Look at it this way. You're not only married to the world's foremost scientist-slash-Net-Saviour right now. You're married to the world's _hottest_ scientist-slash-Net-Saviour!"

Hard to contest that point. Especially since Yaito hired a designer to fashion a custom lab coat patterned after Netto's childhood orange vest, worn over a stripy blue turtleneck, that showed off his toned arms. Though he didn't comprehend why the cosmetologists swathed Netto in spools worth of red thread. Something about it representing destiny and how unbreakable their bond was?

Absolutely sending conflicting messages for a science journal.

"I'm reasonably confident I married the _only_ scientist-slash-Net-Saviour in the world," Tohru posited.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing."

"I'm not! It's just…I loved you as lazy, book dumb Hikari Netto, long before you became this brilliant researcher!"

"Tease." Netto spat out the string he was chewing on for the camera, and kissed him.

Tohru kissed back.

"Can we print that?" Yaito harangued the publication's editor-in-chief.

"NO!" the lovebirds prohibited.

"Why do straight women enjoy it when dudes make out?" Netto coughed.

"The same reason straight men enjoy it when women make out!" Yaito yelled into her megaphone, hopping down from her director's chair.

"Yeah, I wouldn't get that."

"Me neither," Tohru tacked on.

Yaito rolled her eyes.

An empty seat marked "Guest" loomed behind her. Gratefully, they managed to talk Anetta into babysitting Raito. Their four-year-old son did _not_ need to see or hear any of this!

"All right, we're done here, Hikari-hakase. Hikawa-san." The photographer disconnected his equipment.

"One last question, Doctor," the lead interviewer hounded.

Climbing off Tohru, Netto stretched his legs, then indulged the journo. "Shoot."

"How do you balance your role in such an important experimental undertaking with your home life? It must be an unwieldy juggling act." She tapped a pencil.

The briefest flicker of acrimony passed over Tohru's face.

Yes, Netto knew they were overdue for some quality time. It'd been less than a week since he returned from his latest expedition to Beyondard that this award business fell into their laps, but Netto had a big surprise in store for Tohru and Raito he was sure would make up for all of it.

A surprise involving a certain new addition to their family.

He encircled Tohru's neck and smiled, answering, "There's no exact science to it!"


End file.
